1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to undergarments and, more particularly, to an undergarment with an exposed surface that has areas with different controlled frictional characteristics to maintain a desired relationship with an overgarment.
2. Background Art
The fashion industry has constantly contended with the problem of controlling the interaction of over- and undergarments. Undergarments generally are selected to engage specific areas of a user's body to provide support, to contour, and to provide a protective shielding layer. Overgarments function to strategically cover areas of the body and afford aesthetic enhancements, while additionally offering complementary support. Interaction of under- and overgarments often involves the matching of the marginal edges of the over- and undergarments so that body regions immediately adjacent those that remain exposed by the overgarments are supported by the undergarments. The design challenge, in this regard, is particularly significant in the upper torso of females, where overgarments are matched generally arealy to the undergarments at the marginal edges of bra cups and those of circumscribing and shoulder straps.
An example of the problem can be explained relative to the upper marginal edges of cups on a bra. These cups are made with varying degrees of plunge. Often, a high degree of frontal exposure is desired, which event the upper marginal edges thereof are lowered significantly. To take advantage of this plunging configuration, it is desired that the upper marginal edge of the overgarment be approximately matched to the cup edges in a manner whereby the overgarment does not project upwardly significantly beyond the marginal cup edges but at the same time blocks the undergarment edge from view.
The challenge to designers is particularly significant given the nature of the material making up the under- and overgarments. Overgarments, and particularly expensive categories thereof, are often made with materials that are in the very low friction category, such as silk, lace, satin, and other materials that produce a lightweight and potentially sheer configuration. While the undergarment may be made with a higher friction material, conventionally bras, corsets, bustiers, etc. are made with relatively low friction materials.
Oftentimes, women will rely upon the forces produced by circumscribing and shoulder straps to maintain the front of the overgarment pressed strategically against the frontal region to match the upper marginal edges of the bra cups and overgarment. To do this most effectively, the forces produced by the straps may have to be significant to the point that a certain level of discomfort is induced, which may also cause an undesired pressing and contouring of the underlying body region. Even if a substantial amount of pressure can be withstood without significant aesthetic compromise, circumferential and vertical force application generally will not allow for the desired conformity of the overgarment to the bra cups, particularly when there is substantial curvature.
In an attempt to deal with the above problems, particularly with a strapless construction, it is known to modify off-the-shelf undergarments and overgarments with mechanical fasteners. For example, straight pins and safety pins can be used to secure the under- and overgarments together at strategically selected locations. While this attempted solution has a degree of effectiveness in terms of controlling slippage between under- and overgarments, there are a number of inherent drawbacks associated with this approach.
First of all, it is difficult to completely mask the presence of the pin fasteners. Further, the pins have sharp regions that may press against or even puncture the skin of a user as the garments shift during normal activities. Further, use of pins requires penetration of fabrics. Garments often use very expensive and exotic fabrics that may be damaged by the use of such pins. Aside from the openings produced by the pins in the garments, each entry location produces a stress concentration that may cause a tear. This problem may be aggravated over time and through repetitive pinnings of the over- and undergarments. Further, it is difficult, inconvenient, and often impossible, to pin garments to effectively control their relationship without using a large number of pins. The objectives of maintaining a desired relationship between under- and overgarments and minimizing the number of pins required compete with each other. It may also be difficult to consistently pin garments, as a result of which the appearance thereof will vary significantly from one wearing to the next.
It is also known to use tapes, such as those that are double-sided to interact between under- and overgarments at their marginal edges. The use of such tape has a number of drawbacks as well.
First of all, tape with an adequately aggressive adhesive may have an undesired bulk/thickness that can be detected through an overgarment with the tape in place. The tape must also be applied for each wearing and removed once the wearing is concluded to avoid garment damage. Inadvertent release of adhesive through normal activities has led to many public garment “malfunctions.” To avoid this problem, more aggressive adhesives may be utilized. By doing so, one risks that the tape will damage or destroy the over- and/or undergarments once removed. Further, adhesives generally depend upon there being a fixed engagement between the tape and each of the over- and undergarments. In the event that a force is applied to an overgarment generally perpendicular to the plane of the tape, separation may occur relatively easily. However, once the over- and undergarment are re-engaged, the adhesive may be compromised or totally ineffective as a result of which the tape performs little or no function. Aggressive adhesives may also leave unwanted residue on over- and undergarments. As with the pins, the use of tape requires potentially a time-consuming ordeal at the start of each wearing that may lead to inconsistent looks and effectiveness. Still further, the tape may be visible through sheer fabric making up the overgarment, which detracts from the overall appearance of an outfit. Additionally, tapes may utilize adhesives that cause allergic skin reactions and potentially even scarring.
It is also known to use hook-and-loop fastener components to cooperate between over- and undergarments. The problems associated with pins and tape are contended with as well by those using this type of fastener. Further, hook-and-loop fastener generally has a greater thickness that may produce a detectable discrete bulge. One also contends not only with the potential separation of the hook-and-loop fastener components from each other, but also detachment of the hook-and-loop fastener components from their respective garment. Permanent attachment of hook-and-loop fastener components may undesirably alter the associated garments. Repeated wearing and cleaning of the garments with the attached fastener components may also alter the properties thereof, whereby a wearer must decide whether to risk potential embarrassing separation of the under- and overgarments, attempt to remove the attached fastener without damaging the associate garment, or discard an entire garment.
Buttons or snaps may be used in place of hook-and-loop fasteners. The same problems described for hook-and-loop fasteners are contended with using buttons or snaps.
One proposed solution to some of the above problems is presented in U.S. Pat. No. 5,885,910, to Graichen. Graichen discloses the use of threads that contain silicone. The primary objective of using the silicone is to increase the coefficient of friction between undergarments and a wearer. While Graichen also discusses garment-to-garment interaction and the design therein would appear to address some of the problems noted above, it also introduces others. It appears that an overgarment would tend to adhere in the same manner to the entire area of the garment. As a result, the fabric of the overgarment is prone to snagging and bunching randomly on cups, straps, and any other surfaces of an undergarment. The only way to avoid this problem is to initially carefully apply the overgarment to the undergarment and repeat this operation potentially many times after the user moves and repositions, as would inevitably cause a certain degree of shifting. For example, if the front region of a garment shifts, the wearer may not be afforded the luxury of only pulling up the marginal edge, as to match the upper marginal edge of cups, but may also be required to separate and reapply regions thereunder and therearound.
Still another problem with the design in Graichen is that it would appear that the frictional properties of the garments may significantly alter over time through regular wear and washing. By weaving the silicone-containing threads, small pockets are created between the threads throughout the interwoven network. While these pockets are relatively shallow, they will inevitably tend to accumulate foreign material, such as lint. At a certain point, the pockets become filled in their upper regions and potentially occupy a significant areal extent that may significantly alter the overall frictional characteristics of the outer surface on the garment. This condition may ultimately lead to either the disposal of the garment or the need to take other measures, such as those described above, to maintain the desired relationship between under- and overgarments.
While at first glance the above problems appear capable of being easily resolved, they have persisted for many decades and to current day have resulted in many public embarrassments through unwanted exposure. These garment “malfunctions” are seen regularly in celebrity ranks in spite of the fact that celebrity wardrobes are often financed by designers and carefully monitored by support staff that are highly skilled wardrobe presenters and have at their disposal essentially unlimited resources to deal with these problems. Ideally, wearers would be allowed to identify the desired amount of body exposure and select corresponding over- and undergarments that would make this possible. Ideally, the over- and undergarments would be constructed so that they are capable of being reused without regular modification or maintenance. Still further, the over- and undergarments ideally would be capable of being consistently aligned with minimal inconvenience to produce a conforming and controlled relationship. The industry continues aggressively to seek designs that will effectively achieve the above objectives.